Can the EU Stop Eastern Europe's Illiberal Turn?

ABSTRACT

The EU’s activation of Article 7 procedures against Hungary and Poland signals that it is beginning to take seriously the illiberal turn in Central Europe. However, the likelihood that the EU can restrain populist and illiberal tendencies in Hungary and Poland in the near future is slim. Despite the efficacy of the EU and other international organizations in promoting liberalism in these countries in the past, similar efforts are hobbled by a lack of political will and by significant bureaucratic hurdles. The impetus to protect the liberal institutions and practices developed after the collapse of communism must come from the combined efforts of additional external actors and, most of all, by strong pressure from below.

Keywords:

• populism
• Article 7
• EU Accession
• European Union
• Hungary
• illiberalism
• Poland

Notes

1 Both Romania and the Czech Republic have been identified as having undermined the rule of law, in particular by passing laws granting leading politicians impunity for crimes, including corruption in office. Romania is at risk of following the same path as Hungary and Poland, in terms of facing Article 7 proceedings (Peel and Hopkins 2019).